1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is related to solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and more particularly to SOFC interconnects.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction. Among various fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) use a hard, ceramic compound metal (e.g., calcium or zirconium) oxide as an electrolyte. Typically, in solid oxide fuel cells, an oxygen gas, such as O2, is reduced to oxygen ions (O2−) at the cathode, and a fuel gas, such as H2 gas, is oxidized with the oxygen ions to form water at the anode.
In some instances, fuel cell assemblies have been designed as stacks. A single solid oxide fuel cell may include a cathode, an anode, and a solid electrolyte between the cathode and the anode. Each cell can be considered a subassembly, which can be combined with other cells to form a full SOFC stack. In assembling the SOFC stack, electrical interconnects can be disposed between the cathode of one cell and the anode of another cell.
However, stacks of individual fuel cells can be susceptible to damage caused by fluctuation in temperature during their formation or use. Specifically, materials employed to form the various components, including ceramics of differing compositions, exhibit distinct material, chemical, and electrical properties that can result in breakdown and failure of the SOFC article. In particular, fuel cells have a limited tolerance for changes in temperature. Problems associated with mechanical stress caused by changes in temperature can be exacerbated when individual fuel cells are stacked. Limited thermal shock resistance of fuel cells, particularly of fuel cells assembled in stacks, may limit the yield of production, posing a heightened risk of failure during operation.